For a brief moment, there was no one else in the room. As the man drew closer to her, she could hear his breathing from behind the mask, anticipating his answer to her question. His words drifted into her mind, catching her off guard with his tone and acknowledgment of the dress. He had never been so forward with her, but she often found glances or moments where he caught his breath. Still, there had never been a time he was forward like this, and Quinn was curious about what made him decide to be so at this particular time.
He began to step away from her, and a hand gently found its place on his chest as she stepped into his way. Her voice hushed, allowing the conversation to remain between them,
"How dare you be so forward with me, Lord Marr." she scolded, a smile lingering on her face, showing that he was not in trouble for his words. The Princess leaned closer as her floral perfume lingered on his senses. A finger gently ran along the edge of the mask along his jawline until his vision was filled with only her face. The same gentle and confident smile he had grown to know of her spread on her face as she finally spoke the secret between them.
"As long as I wear this dress or any others you grow fond of, your thirst will never be quenched." The Princess leaned away from him and allowed him to take the lead once more.
Despite his deadpan words, she had gained confidence in the dress - feeling like she belonged.
"Your cousin? You have so many. Which one is this one?" She questioned, returning them both to the reality at hand. Quinn knew that somewhere in the galaxy, her godmother (
Srina Talon
) was beaming as her game of matchmaking was only working for the evening.
Looking at Malum, she nodded and gave the man a smug little smirk.
"Let's quench your thirst, Lord Malum," Quinn nodded towards the bar area where she had seen several people begin to migrate. It seemed the pair had missed the early hour-passed drinks, so they were left to make an order. Which, in Quinn's mind, was a better situation for her. Sometimes, people pass the cheap wine and champagne and keep the tasteful varietals behind the bar.
One step towards the bar, Quinn felt something in the Force clutch her heart and squeeze. The tightness and discomfort made her rest her hand on her chest while she tried to catch her breath. Eyes wide as she began to assess the feeling, it was one she never thought she'd feel again. Fingers thumbed at the locket hanging from her neck once more. Had she unknowingly recalled
them from the void? Looking around, she caught a glimpse of the woman, (
Amara Zambrano
) a face she had once seen and assumed she'd never see again. Her breath caught as she choked down the urge to call out to her. Had Vesta done it? Had she discovered and created a reality where they could
finally be happy? Quinn stared, not caring about manners at this point. She continued to feel, searching for the connection they shared, but nothing returned - even the sudden feeling began to fade. This wasn't Vesta; this was someone else - someone who looked and, in moments, felt like the Shi'do.
Quinn felt her heart shatter again, and she stood there, searching for the comfort of Malum's arm. She needed something or someone to ground her again, and when she felt the warmth of his arm, she finally exhaled. Tears clung to her eyes, threatening to fall, but the Princess forbade them.
"Sorry, let's get a drink." Quinn finally said as she gave the man's arm a squeeze.